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Cris Hughes

Profile picture for Cris  Hughes

Contact Information

Department of Anthropology
607 S Mathews Ave.
M/C 148
Urbana, IL 61801

Office Hours

By Appointment
Clinical Associate Professor

Research Description

I am a forensic anthropologist interested in perceptions of social race, and the use of biogeographic ancestry in both forensic investigations and the practice of forensic anthropology. I'm particularly interested in how information drawn from skeletal remains, can impact the identification process of that person, namely method applications/standardization, casework accuracy, and method outcome interpretations. I am the deputy forensic anthropologist for Champaign County Coroner's Office, and serve the surrounding counties as needed when human skeletal remains are found. 

Courses Taught

ANTH 246 Introduction to Forensic Science

ANTH 247 Forensic Genetics Lab

ANTH 346 Forensic Anthropology

ANTH 498 Senior Capstone Seminar

Additional Campus Affiliations

Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, Genomic Security and Privacy Theme Affiliate

Carl R. Woese Institute of Genomic Biology, Outreach Affiliate

Recent Publications

Hughes, CE, Juarez CA, Yim A. 2021. Forensic Anthropology Casework Performance: Assessing Accuracy and Trends for Biological Profile Estimates on a Comprehensive Sample of Identified Decedent Cases. Journal of Forensic Sciences 66(5):1602-1616.

New BT, Algee-Hewitt BFB, Spradley K, Fehren-Schmitz L, Hughes CE, Anderson BE, Jasinski ME, Arciszewska J, Zielińska G, Szargut M, Cytacka S, Ossowski A. 2021. Comparing genetic variation among Latin American immigrants: Implications for forensic casework in the Arizona- and Texas-México Borderlands. Human Biology.

Juarez CA, Hughes CE, Yim A. 2021. A report the Forensic Anthropology Database for Assessing Methods Accuracy (FADAMA). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 174(1):149-150.

Go MC, Jones AR, Algee-Hewitt BF, Dudzik B, Hughes CE. 2019. Classification trends among contemporary Filipino crania using Fordisc 3.1. Forensic Anthropology 2(4):293-303.

Hughes CE, Algee-Hewitt BF, Konigsberg LW. 2018. Population identifiability from forensic genetic markers: ancestry variation in Latin America. Human Biology 90(3):161-75.

Hughes CE, B Dudzik, BFB Algee-Hewitt, A Jones, BE Anderson. 2018. Understanding (Mis)classification Trends of Hispanics in Fordisc 3.1: Incorporating Cranial Morphology, Microgeographic Origin, & Admixture Proportions for Interpretation. Journal of Forensic Sciences https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13893

Hughes CE, B Dudzik, BFB Algee-Hewitt, A Jones, BE Anderson. 2018. Understanding (Mis)classification Trends of Hispanics in Fordisc 3.1: Incorporating Cranial Morphology, Microgeographic Origin, & Admixture Proportions for Interpretation. Journal of Forensic Sciences https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13893

Trammel L, CA Juarez, CE Hughes. 2018. A Case Study Highlighting the Utility of Multiple Techniques for Testing Investigative Leads. Forensic Anthropology 1(2):105-116.

Algee-Hewitt BF, CE Hughes, BE Anderson. 2018. Temporal, Geographic, and Identification Trends in Craniometric Estimates of Ancestry for Persons of Latin American Origin. Forensic Anthropology 1(1):4-17.